Zechariah 13:2-6 Idols Gone!
God promises that, one day, ALL idols will be gone. Even the memory of those idols will be washed away. And any who try and resurrect them will pay dearly!
I have a question here. Before I pose the question though, I need to set the scene (or scenes) for the time this prophecy is speaking of. They are possibilities that have occurred to me; NOT biblical facts.
Scene 1: The prophecy is speaking of the time of Judah’s return from exile. Even thinking about idols, which got them into trouble in the first place, is abhorrent!
Scene 2: Jesus’ return to earth to rule and reign. Idols will NOT be part of HIS Kingdom!
Here is the question. These prophets who are going to be afraid to even be identified as a prophet; are they the prophets for idols only or are they prophets claiming to be speaking for God? Just looking at the two scenarios, prophets for idols only fits with both. But prophets speaking for God only fits the second scene.
Israel and Judah got themselves in DEEP trouble with God for chasing after idols. When they returned from exile, I don’t see any further mention of them bowing down to Baal, Ashtaroth, or any other carved image. But we do see them perverting God’s Law and turning THEIR interpretation into an ‘idol’. Being a prophet for a false god during this time would be VERY hazardous to their health! But, being a prophet for God would be greatly welcomed. Maybe not every word heeded, but MUCH better response than the earlier prophets received. Funny thing is, God is getting ready for a prolonged silence shortly after this prophecy is given. The next prophet, after the silence, will be John the Baptist.
Israel has never, as a nation, accepted Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross. They still hold to the idea that their messiah is still on the way. I would call this belief an ‘idol’, along with the law which they have ‘modified’ beyond belief. When Jesus returns, HE will set them straight. He will remove EVERY idol from their midst; even the memory of idols will be wiped away. They will be broken by the truth and abandon ALL pretense. Those who still won’t accept the truth will leave. The prophets who spoke for those ‘idols’, in whatever form they were in, will be terrified to speak even the name. The hearts of the people will be for Jesus alone and ANY OTHER who tries to enter will be immediately repelled. The prophets of said idols will hide and recant. But what about those who claim to be speaking for God?
When Jesus reigns on the earth, God’s voice will be clearly heard as it is spoken through the Son. There will be no need for prophets, even for God. There will still be a need for witnesses, teachers, and evangelists to reach the rest of the world. So, would any who say THEY speak for God, would they be afraid and in danger too? As Jesus said about not fasting when the “Bride groom is with you” would most likely apply to prophecy when the One who speaks His mind is with us.
Which brings us to the portion of this prophecy where it says that even the memory of the idols would be removed. With Jesus reigning for 1,000 years, it is VERY likely that all memory of false gods would fade from Jerusalem at least. That may not be the effect in the rest of the world, or there would be no one to back Satan when he is released.
And, this brings me to another question. Surprised? I didn’t think so as I seem to be full of them. There is very little that we know of the time after Satan is released. We know he will be ultimately defeated and that he will have freedom to deceive man again from the end of Jesus’ millennial reign until the day of his defeat. So, my question is, will Jesus tell us of what is to come for that time during His reign? Will He send out “prophets” for this purpose? It’s hard to imagine Him remaining silent when the ‘hounds’ are about to be released. I wonder how long that period of freedom for Satan will be. It has to be long enough for him to convince multitudes of people to abandon ALL that they have received under Jesus’ rule and to think that they can do better on their own.
Father God, I want to hear YOUR heart and understand YOUR words. Help me to rightly discern the truth when anyone claims to be speaking for You. Satan is an excellent imitator and skilled at twisting the truth, even just a little bit to make it more believable. Don’t let me fall for ANY of his lies! And don’t let me ‘share’ ANY of them that might inadvertently ‘filter through’.
Thank You for creating me with a curious spirit and an imagination. I’m amazed how You use both of them to guide my life. Keep me searching for Your truth!
